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Are There Weapons in the Home?

In this essay, Dr. Sheila M. Quinn tells how the answer to an inquiry about guns in a patient's home led to a disturbing answer and a change in her approach to the issue.

Use the essay to:

Listen to an audio recording of the essay, read by Dr. Michael LaCombe.

Consider whether you should ask about the presence of firearms in your patients' homes. Use this article to inform your approach to this issue.

After the encounter described in her essay, the author began asking patients more often whether there were guns at home. How might such an approach help to build rapport with a patient in addition to looking out for her or his safety?

Do you know what to do if a patient reports concerns about harm at home?

Annals of Internal Medicine is the premier internal medicine academic journal published by the American College of Physicians (ACP). It is one of the most widely cited and influential specialty medical journals in the world.